You, Me, And Lian-Li
We'd chosen the Lian-Li PC-60A Plus II based on reader popularity rather than personal preferences. This case includes one 120 mm intake fan, one 80 mm rear fan and one 80 mm top exhaust unit. Lian-Li's included fans are low speed quiet models, and our sample unfortunately did not include the side cooling kit found in current versions.
It became clear during the course of overclocking that the system produced far too much heat to reach its maximum clock speed. We needed to know whether this was a limit of the TEC cooler or if it was caused by a lack of airflow in the case, so we removed the case's side panel - after doing so, we found that the problem went away. Fearing that rising graphics card heat was the major contributing factor to hot air surrounding the CPU, we decided to add our own fan in the same location where Lian-Li's side cooling kit is now found. Without the fan bracket, though, we were forced to improvise by using cable ties to secure the fan to the side panel.
Voila! Our heat levels dropped dramatically, allowing an equally dramatic increase in clock speeds.
Did we make a mistake in choosing the PC-60A Plus II based on reader recommendations? The case's exceptional build quality had caused no regrets in previous testing, and heat didn't become an issue until we really tried to push the system. Lian-Li has addressed this by adding a side fan bracket to current versions, so new buyers should be pleased with the model.
